After sifting through 60 candidates, Gilbert Mesquite High School has hired Mike Reardon to become its next football coach.

Mike Reardon is retiring after 42 years as a football coach. He led Mesquite to a 9-3 record this year and a berth in the 5A-I quarterfinals.

It won’t be an easy road for Gilbert Mesquite to work its way into the postseason, but new coach Mike Reardon still plans to take that path.

An unspecified number of Saguaro High School football players, including at least seven starters, will not be in uniform for the school's season finale Friday in connection with an Oct. 31 party in which alcohol was served, Saguaro coach Mike Reardon confirmed Wednesday.

Outlook: Saguaro coach Mike Reardon fears this nonregion matchup.

Former Highland High School football coach Mike Reardon is heading back to the East Valley to take over Saguaro's program.

Outlook: A year ago, Saguaro entered the season with great expectations.

While Scottsdale Saguaro had a decent group of players last season, something was missing from a team that went 5-5 in the regular season and bowed out in the first round of the 4A Division I playoffs.

To Luckas Scott, it was an ugly pass, but to Gilbert Mesquite, it was a heads-up play that highlighted the Wildcats 21-10 home opener win over Scottsdale Desert Mountain.

Coach Mike Reardon said during training camp that his Saguaro team was inexperienced and would need time to grow. So far, the Sabercats have proved him correct.

You would think that being 3-0 with a defense that hasn’t given up a point would allow Scottsdale Saguaro to concentrate on revenge when it visits Vail Cienega.

Members of the Pinal County Deputies Association say they were lied to when told they would have a voice in endorsing the county's next sheriff.

November 26, 2004

Coach Mike Reardon still doesn’t understand what all the controversy was about last week concerning his Saguaro football team.

It’s a family affair along the Gilbert Mesquite offensive line. Mesquite football coach Mike Reardon has been starting senior center Nic, junior right guard Jake and junior right tackle Jarred Solomon on his offensive line this season, three brothers that bring a different dynamic to the Wildcats.

October 5, 2004

Gilbert Highland saw its head football coach head elsewhere last month and this month it was the Hawks turn to snatch a coach from a neighboring school.

Gilbert Highland saw its football coach head elsewhere last month, and this month it was the Hawks’ turn to snatch a coach from a neighboring school.

Outlook: Saguaro has yet to give up a point in two victories. Moon Valley has scored only seven in three losses. Do the math.

The union for the rank-and-file officers of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office is showing signs of splintering after a controversial endorsement of Sheriff Chris Vasquez.

When you only have four region games, they all are big. The region winner gets an automatic pass to the playoffs, meaning a four-game winning streak can atone for nonregion miscues.

Apache Junction football coach Max Ragsdale is leaving the school to become an assistant under Mike Reardon at Gilbert Mesquite.